Month: February 2023

Tell us how you started out on your culinary journey?

I really had no idea what I wanted to do when I finished school. I had always enjoyed cooking growing up and thankfully my parents had always encouraged us to cook our own dinners from a young age. I took a chance on the culinary arts course in DIT and never looked back. After doing 3 months work experience in a Michelin starred restaurant, Le Mas Candilles in the south of France I was hooked. I was blown away by the fine dining aspect and refinement and creativity in the kitchen. Once I completed my degree I applied to a tonne of Michelin starred restaurants in London. I took a job in Pollen Street Social, the flagship restaurant of Jason Atherton and spent a year here. The attention to detail, precision and standard of cooking was mind blowing and I had never seen anything like it. The rest is history.

What is the recipe to success for a great dining experience in this current climate?

There are a lot of variables out of our control. My goal at Pichet is to create and cook delicious, exciting, seasonal food within a positive atmosphere which in turn people remember and keep coming back. I’m more than confident we can do that with the talent we have in the kitchen and front of house. I couldn’t be happier to be here and it feels right at this point. It’s an added bonus to have Steve Gibson as a chef owner for advice.

Where is your favourite place to holiday in Ireland and what food do you look forward to the most when you go away?

I wouldn’t say I have one favourite place to go. If anything there is so much more of Ireland I want to visit and explore. It’s such a stunning country. Luckily my fiance is also quite a foodie so when we do go away we like to treat ourselves to one fine dining meal in the locality. Galway is always great as is Kilkenny town. We love a good Irish pub with some traditional music. Like many others I also love a good chowder and it’s not an easy thing to find. Fresh fish and chips is one of my favourite things. Smoked haddock is a treat. There’s always a list of places we have to visit and it only seems to get bigger. Belfast needs a visit for places like Ox and Deanes Epic. Also Dede at The Customs House in Baltimore, West Cork is great, Ahmet Dede’s cooking should be experienced by everyone and it is such a beautiful place. Ireland is only getting better for its food scene.

Did you find yourself cooking any wild and wonderful recipes throughout lockdown?

Sourdough was my everest during lockdown. My other half was driven insane with the flour everywhere and starters and doughs in our hotpress. I’d been meaning to try and get a handle on it but time always gets away as we all know. I bought the Tartine book by Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson and followed some of the experts on social media. It was a hugely enjoyable project for me and there is possibly nothing better than freshly baked sourdough and Irish butter. It’s one of the most beautiful things. I think the neighbours appreciated it anyway as they were often the recipients.

What is one of your go to dinner party recipes and would you like to share it with us?

I love the idea of sharing food for a dinner party. A roasted chicken with loads of herbs from the garden made into a marinade, lemon, smoked paprika, Garam masala, olive oil, butter, salt, pepper. Sounds weird but it works and it’s delicious. Alongside freshly baked breads, pesto, mozzarella or burrata, cured meats, tomato salad, roasted potatoes or potato salad, hummus, good quality olives etc. It’s not fancy food but you can’t beat it. Replace the chicken with a meat of your choice or fish.

With Autumn here and Winter creeping in do you have any seasonal ingredients that you are really looking forward to cooking with again?

Yes absolutely! Autumn-Winter we see some beautiful ingredients. Jerusalem artichokes are probably my favourite vegetable. I have a beautiful fish dish planned for those this year. Celeriac, parsnips, chanterelles, blackberries, quince, figs, cabbages, the list goes on. As a chef I get excited about any and every ingredient that’s coming into season and the challenge for us is to find a way to elevate these ingredients and showcase their flavour and characteristics. Sometimes simplicity is key.

Fivemiletown Goats Cheese Mousse, Roasted Jerusalem Artichoke, Roscoff Onion, William Pear with Pickled Walnuts.

A nice dish for the Autumn that can be served as a starter or sharing style dish.

Goats Cheese Mousse
500g Fivemiletown or any good quality soft Irish Goats Cheese
50g Honey
200ml Cream
Sea Salt and Black Pepper

1. Put the Goats cheese and honey in a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment and beat until
   smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Alternatively, you may hand beat the cheese with a spatula.
2. Whisk the cream until it reaches semi stiff peaks.
3. Gently fold the whipped cream into the goat’s cheese mix.
4. Reserve in a piping bag.

Roasted Artichokes
10 Jerusalem Artichokes washed well skin on
200g Unsalted butter
Thyme and Rosemary, a few sprigs
Sea Salt

1. Place the butter in a pan with the herbs and turn on a medium heat.
2. When the butter starts to foam add the artichokes to the pan and season with salt.
3. Cook on a gentle to medium heat in the butter swirling the pan every few minutes.
4. Let them cook for about 30 minutes or until the artichokes are soft in the middle.
5. When they have cooled slightly cut them in half. Reserve the butter its full of flavour.

Roasted Roscoff Onion
4 Roscoff Onions sliced lengthways skin kept on (Any good quality onions may be used)
Olive Oil
Salt
Thyme a few sprigs

1. Heat a frying pan to a medium heat and coat the bottom with the oil.
2. Season the cut side of the onions with salt and place cut side down in the pan.
3. Add the thyme and fry on a medium heat for about 20-30 minutes until just softening.
4. When the onions have cooled remove the skin and the string outer skin of the onion halves.
5. Don’t worry if the onions are nice and black on the flesh side you can gently scrape the
   charred bits.
6. Cut in half lengthwise into nice sharp pieces.

Pickled Walnuts (Available from Fallon and Byrne)
1 Jar of opies Pickled Walnuts
Good quality extras virgin Olive Oil 100ml

1. Remove the pickled walnuts from the jar and strain the juice and reserve.
2. Slice the walnuts into thin pieces horizontally using a small knife.
3. Keep them in a little of the pickle. They should be beautiful circles.
4. Whisk together half the walnut pickle juice with the olive oil and keep as your dressing.

William Pear
2 William Pears or any seasonal good quality sweet ripe pear.

5. Take an apple corer and remove the core from the pear.
6. Cut the pear in half and slice each half into nice thin pieces.
7. Do this step right before you are ready to plate so they don’t oxidise.

To Plate the dish Pipe a generous amount of goat’s cheese mousse in the centre of each
plate.
Warm the onions and artichokes in a hot oven for 5 minutes with some of the artichoke
butter.
In a circle around the mousse place wedges of onion and artichoke one after the other.
Place 5-6 pieces of sliced pear nicely between the onions and artichokes.
Place 3-4 circles of Pickled walnut wherever you wish.
Shake the dressing or whisk again and pour a little over the dish not too much as it is strong.

In a recent review by The taste Pichet was featured at the top of the list for Romantic Restaurants for dates in Dublin. While we are not surpised we are certainly delighted. Stepping away from the bhustle and bustle of the city centre into our romantic candle lit oasis of culinary delight and great service. A great testimontial in the lead up to Valentine’s Day.

It can be easy to get into the habit of rotating the same handful of french restaurants and see your date nights become more routine than romance driven. Try somewhere new together and impress the object of your affection with any of the below picks on our list of restaurants for a delicious Dublin date. Whether you’re after a candlelit dinner, a cosy and intimate spot or just casual drinks and sharing plates, these places are all guaranteed winners as romantic restaurants for a date in Dublin.

In their review The Taste said “Paris is the city of love, so it’s no doubt that a French influence will bring an air of romance to your date night. Pichet’s head chef, Harry Quinn, has curated a menu that combines both Irish and French cuisine, with a long-standing Michelin Bib Gourmand to attest to the quality. Expect elegant dishes, fine wine and a stylish bistro atmosphere that’s sure to keep you and your date hooked. Go the extra mile on the 14th with Pichet’s Valentine’s Day Set Menu, priced at €72 per person, which includes a signature Valentine’s cocktail for special measure. Opt for their delicious Venison or their Soy Glazed Salmon, but make sure you finish off with the Sticky Toffee Pudding. Pichet is always a solid choice for a romantic date in Dublin.”

Our incredible house bartender Marian has also created a special signature cocktail for night, the ‘St. Valentine’. (Rhurbarb Gin & Vodka, Crème de Cassis, Quince Syrup, Tonic, Lemon Twist).

Book your table at Pichet, Dublin’s Best French Restaurant today!